This invention relates generally to corrugated paperboard containers that have triangular shaped reinforcing columns within the interior and contain bagged items during shipment. More particularly, the invention relates to an improvement in the columns to reduce or eliminate bag tearing and to protect product during packing or shipment without reducing the reinforcement afforded by the columns.
There are many known paperboard container designs that utilize a substantially triangular-shaped column or post for enhancing the stacking strength. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,159,326 to Stonebanks, there is illustrated a substantially rectangular paperboard container that has a plurality of upstanding triangular-shaped columns spaced along the side walls on the interior of the container. These posts extend from the bottom surface to the top surface and provide enhanced stacking strength when a plurality of containers are stacked one atop another. A similar vertical triangular-shaped post is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,948,033 to Haisell, II et al. assigned to the Mead Corporation of Dayton, Ohio. In the Haisell, II et al. patent a plurality of triangular-shaped vertically extending posts are illustrated as being spaced about the walls on the interior of a paperboard container.
In both of these examples the top edges of the posts are substantially in a horizontal plane with the edges of the paper material being exposed.
A problem has been detected in the use of the triangular-shaped posts when bagged materials are packed within the corrugated paperboard container. The relatively sharp horizontal exposed edges of the tops of the triangular posts have oftentimes caused plastic bags and the like to rip thereby allowing product to become contaminated or to be spilled during the course of shipment. Additionally, sometimes produce or fruit is damaged, if not placed into bags, as they are packed in containers with relatively sharp triangular shaped posts. It thus became apparent an improvement was needed that reduced the problem with bag tearing or product harm without sacrificing the enhanced stacking strength provided by the triangular-shaped vertically extending posts. It was found that through the use of the present invention tearing can readily be eliminated without sacrificing stacking strength.
Accordingly, from the foregoing, one object of the present invention is to reduce bag tearing when utilizing vertically extending triangular-shaped posts within the interior of a paperboard container.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide triangular-shaped posts that eliminate the problem with tearing while maintaining substantially the same enhanced stacking strength.
These and other objects of the present invention will become better understood upon referring to the specification to follow in conjunction with the attached drawings.